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Chapter One: Fire Lung4,229 words
Chapter Two: Extinguishing the Flames6,124 words
Chapter Three: Restless Road of Recovery3,794 words
Chapter Four: The Exile5,135 words
Chapter Five: Weight of a Millennium7,543 words
Chapter Six: Words that span a thousand years6,411 words
Chapter Seven: This Is Me6,458 words
Chapter Eight: Golden Truths4,560 words
Chapter Nine: Ups and Doughs5,472 words
Chapter Ten: Icy Fall4,945 words
Chapter Eleven: Subzero4,474 words
Chapter Twelve: Warm Words Amid Icy Walls4,937 words
Chapter Thirteen: Shadows Flee6,245 words
Chapter Fourteen: Return and Recalibrate4,283 words
Chapter Fifteen: Doubts and Flares4,255 words
Chapter Sixteen: Chapter Sixteen: Fluffy Alicorns Dancing On Rainbows- Uh oh.6,006 words
Chapter Seventeen: Supernova7,720 words
Chapter Eighteen: Gilded Towers3,700 words
Chapter Nineteen: Dark have my dreams been of late.4,503 words
Chapter Twenty: Nobelius Idiotus5,334 words
Chapter Twenty One: Shadows Flee3,613 words
Chapter Twenty-Two: Life's Branches3,477 words
Chapter Twenty-Three: New Growth4,401 words
Chapter Twenty-Four: Sunrise2,014 words

Chapter Twenty-Four: Sunrise

“Tall Tale?” Onyx repeated to the alicorn standing in front of him with Icait hovering at his side, the three of them located in their usual icy cavern.

“Correct, that is the location. Do you have any questions for the terms I previously outlined? I’d appreciate it if you could repeat them.” Luna asked.

Onyx let out a huff, shaking his head.

“Train to be a guard and show that I am not a threat. I can do that,” he rumbled.

“Help a gryphoness in a greenhouse and aid in running the local library!” Icait gushed, happily bouncing up and down. “Um, sorry.”

Luna couldn’t help but smile, but noticed how Onyx still appeared rather troubled.

“You have questions?” she asked.

“I assume we are to be under constant watch? Magical locking spells, if I had to guess?” he asked.

“Correct. It is a precaution necessary until we ascertain that your intentions are indeed true,” Luna admitted.

Onyx shrugged, seeming content with his fate while Icait’s ears pinned back.

“It doesn’t feel very good to not be trusted, but I understand,” she whispered, “And you said Starlight Glimmer will be our contact for trying to adjust to life?”

“Yes. She has some experience with different viewpoints that I believe will help you come to terms with living in Equestria. Gelliana is quite open to having a new friend as well, Icait,” Luna relayed.

“And Onyx, the guards have been notified and screened for your arrival. Starlight will likely be your primary contact, as I understand your adjustment has been rather unsettling as of late. You are not to be rushed into the guard training. I believe Starlight has a few ideas of what to pursue first.”

The Lunar Princess could have sworn the greyish-black stallion’s cheeks lightened ever so slightly, flushing at the words as he nodded.

“I will inform them of your arrival then. Expenses are paid for rent and such. We expect you all to be self-sufficient in due time, but one step after the other. First, we just want you to interact with the public, and they with you. You will be adjusting, and they will be adjusting to you. I cannot guarantee positive reactions to your presence.”

“I’d be shocked if there were only such,” Onyx rumbled, “but this is a tender mercy considering what I assumed you would do to us.”

“Times change, as do ponies and other creatures,” Luna said softly, powering up a simple teleportation spell. “Every one of us.”

Ugh. I’ve sat on this secret for a week!

Silty stone looked at the communicator crystal in front of her, hundreds of Night Guards and Lunar Knights standing at attention, all arrayed across their underground training area.

“I was informed of this a week ago. The Commander wanted me to tell you all that he asked Luna a question. A question I think we all knew was coming.”

The device flashed once, a bright pink that made the made Silty grin- the signal from the Commander.

“She said yes!”

The underground training cavern erupted in a roar of voices, hundreds of Lunar Knights and Night Guards cheering with a force that shook the granite walls.

Nacreous took a deep breath of the salty air, enjoying the sound of the waves on the rocks below. The sea sparkled out before him on the cliff, and the company was second to none.

“So, she wants to have an extravagant wedding? I’m surprise, I thought Luna was a bit more reserved.”

Celestia chuckled, snuggled up against her favorite hippogriff.

“Oh, she is. But in this case, I think things changed. The absolute joy on her face when she tackled me with the news a few weeks ago,” Celestia sniffled, wiping away a bit of moisture. “I’m just so overjoyed that Lulu is happy. To see her have come so far in these years…”

“And I’m happy for her too. A year-long engagement is a surprise as well. But I suppose things are different when time means very little, especially for those two.”

“I agree. They’re in no rush it seems. I don’t think I’d be able to do that. Waking up every day and crossing out an X on a calendar for a year or more,” Celestia giggled.

“Goodness. Talk about stir crazy. I’d go nuts as well,” Nacreous agreed, then letting out a hum. “I do like her ideas for the wedding, from what she shared at least. A bit too big for me though, as odd as that may seem.”

“Oh? You do enjoy the dramatic flair I thought?”

Nacreous nodded, wings shrugging in pondering.

“I do. But for a moment like that, I think something small and intimate would be more meaningful. I’d have to tell Coarse Pen and his wife though, no question for the grooms-stallion and mare. Well, other than Gaudi, Iust, Fori, and Arbo.”

“Hmm. I did muse over an extravagant affair for a time, I must admit. Banners and trumpets and all that. But I’ve come to realize something these past few months,” Celestia admitted.

“Oh?”

“Moments like this mean more to me than any nation-wide celebration, any redecorating of the castle, any of that. Perhaps just have Luna and Shifting there, Twilight and her friends of course- no question about that. And perhaps some of my friends from other nations. No more than a dozen or two in total,” Celestia cuddled against Nacreous’s shoulder, cheek resting on his soft feathers. “I’ve been worshipped for a thousand years. I’d want such a ceremony to be free from any of that. Just me, Celestia, and the creature I love the most. Not as a Princess, or a Queen. Just me.”

“I think that sound absolutely lovely and appropriate,” Nacreous admitted, reaching over to hold Celestia’s hoof. “Hmm. White and blue sounds like a lovely color scheme. Maybe some gold too.”

“Oh, definitely gold. You in that armor? I want a painting of that hung somewhere.”

“You could just ask me, y’know.”

“Perhaps,” she paused, and Nacreous could sense an air of bother settling over his Princess.

“Celly? What is it?”

“Just….” Celestia began, hoof tightening around Nacreous’s claws. “It’s funny. I just don’t want to take the spotlight off Luna. I’d never forgive myself for such. She deserves all the love and adoration of the kingdom. To announce the same thing but a few weeks after her and steal that? I couldn’t live with myself doing such.”

“Then don’t.”

Celestia drew back her head in surprise, Nacreous chuckling.

“Who says it has to be an announcement? Perhaps a quiet affair with only the closest of friends. It may be a scandal, but the intentions are pure. The fact you care of your sister so much is rather touching, Celly,” the King then let out a huff, a wry smile dancing at his beak. “If not that, I’ve waited a thousand years to find somecreature. One more year wouldn’t change feelings or intent. We already see each other every day for hours on end, between negotiations, dates, and the like.”

“Oh, but it would make teasing oh so much more difficult.”

The hippogriff let out a soft *snrk* with a nod, eyes then widening. Celestia felt his claws start to shake, and Nacreous looked over to her in shock.

“Uh, Celly?” he asked, “did-did we just plan our own wedding?”

The alicorn drew back her head in shock, staring at her equally surprised love, an awkward smile that she so loved now plastering itself across his beak.

“I think…we just did?” she whispered, the realization now setting it. “N-nacreous, I-”

Despite trembling claws, Nacreous fished out an item from his large saddlebags, a beautifully crafted obsidian case opening smoothly.

“I’ve been carrying it around for a few weeks now,” he admitted. “So…”

Celestia felt tears immediately brim in her eyes, her sun seeming to flare a bit brighter. Set in a soft, white velvet was a simple silver necklace. Cradled by carefully-crafted crystal fingers, a perfect representation of her sun shone from the center of the amulet.

On looking closer to the radiant gem, Celestia felt tears now begin to run down her cheeks. Dark, shadowy-specs dotted the replica sun, and she could barely whisper the word to herself.

“Sunspots.”

Taking her hoof in his claws, Nacreous scooted a bit closer, his own eyes misted with emotion as he struggled to speak.

“Celestia? Will you marry me?”

For the briefest of moments, Celestia couldn’t speak. She finally forced out a single word, one that freed her from the bindings of emotion and nerves.

“Yes.”

With a careful nudge of magic, Celestia carefully closed the necklace case and darted forwards to wrap her love up in a tight hug, tears running from her eyes.

“YES!”

Nacreous immediately held her close and let out a deep chuckle, rocking her back and forth as Celestia repeated her answer, this time drawing back her head to meet Nacreous’s eyes.

“Yes, Nacreous. I will.”

Retrieving the necklace, Nacreous gently draped it around Celestia’s neck, the alicorn drawing a breath in surprise.

It was warm.

“A heating spell?” she asked, now seeing Nacreous almost appear sheepish, shaking his head.

“It’s a miniature replica of your sun, so it has to be powered by something, the spell that is,” he said softly, “and I asked King Thorax and some of his mages to, well, come up with another energy source.”

Just when she thought the tears had dried up, Celestia felt more in her eyes as Nacreous tried to finish the sentence.

“Love. It’s a powerful thing.”

No more words were able to be said as Celestia wrapped up her hippogriff in a tight embrace, occupying his beak with a passionate kiss that made his wings flare. Nacreous held her close as he returned the gesture, certainly enjoying a similar reaction from his Princess.

“I’m not going anywhere, Celly,” he finally said as they broke apart, Celestia wiping her eyes as she sniffled. “Not now, not ever. You’re stuck with me, Sunspots.”

Celestia laughed, yanking him back in for a hug and this time swinging him about as best she could, Nacreous chuckling as they now sat in the field, claw and hoof clasped tightly together.

“Nocreature else I’d rather have at my side,” Celestia said, her mouth then widening into a grin. “So, wedding cake that’s shaped like a pile of Pego’s?”

Nacreous now laughed, resting his forehead against Celestia’s with a carefree smile.

“You know me far too well, but only if we have a giant pot-pie included in our refreshments. Maybe Discord can make it talk.”

Now it was Celestia’s turn to dissolve into giggles, Nacreous spinning her out into a twirl, then pulling her back to rest in his arms.

“Whatever the future holds, Celly, I’m glad you’ll be with me to see it all,” he whispered, Celestia reaching up a hoof to rest on his cheek.

“As am I, Nacreous,” she replied, a determined smile on her face. Her horn lit up, teleporting a record player to the field. As it began to play, Nacreous’s eyes widened, Celestia stepping back and holding out her hoof as the song of their first date played.

Music Option

“And let this promise in me start, like an anthem in my heart…”

The song chorus belted out in full force, the pair dancing away in the wind-swept fields of the ocean island. It was only a moment, but Celestia could have sworn she saw a few familiar ghostly figures smiling at them before vanishing.

As the song began to repeat, Nacreous’s eyes widened, and to Celestia’s surprise tears now coursed freely down his cheeks.

“Forever,” he whispered, “You and me, n-not forgotten….”

“Forever,” Celestia confirmed, reaching over to give him a brief kiss. “And never forgotten!”

She then laughed as Nacreous spun her in a twirl once again, Celestia swaying in his arms as her fiancé held her close.

“My little Sunspot.”

The End.

The story of Toxic Shield, Gelliana, Onyx, and Icait is continued in: A Cure For A Toxin

Author's Note:

FEELINGS! Ugh my heart during this scene...but happy! Those heartstrings...

This has been an absolute pleasure to write, but all stories must come to an adorable end. I hope everyone has enjoyed the story, and I look forward to continuing this storyline with a focus on a different group of curious creatures! Celestia, Nacreous, Luna and Shifting are still quite present however!

I hope to see you all in A Cure For A Toxin

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